The Berkshire (Red)

Here you will find 36 holes of excellent heathland golf that is played over some wonderful land with many memorable holes amongst a tranquil and secluded setting.

I recently played both courses on the European Amateur Golf Tour so not only did I get to experience both courses in their best condition but also under competitive conditions.

I had previously played the Blue course many years ago so it was nice to be reacquainted with this excellent layout that enjoys some delightful holes, especially on the back nine, and makes a more than solid partner for the superior Red course.

Some people are in fact split on which course they prefer but I thought the Red was a clear notch above its sibling; both created in 1928 by Herbert Fowler.

The Red really takes the quality of the holes to another level in my opinion. Arguably the first and last holes on the Red are its worst two but they are both solid holes in their own right. The par five first works well as an opening hole but the last, a medium length par three, is not a great finisher.

However, between holes two and 17 you are treated to some of the finest golf you will play on the Surrey/Berkshire heathlands.

As you might expect on this superb piece of terrain the par threes, of which there are six, are all very high quality with the second, tenth and 16th the best.

Unusually there are also six par fours and six par fives. And it is this equal distribution of par that helps dictate an exciting tone throughout the round. None of the three-shotters are overly long and as a result even the modest player will be presented with some birdie opportunities. The par fours offer a good variety with a few medium length holes and a couple of longer ones. The sharp dog-legging sixth, the exacting eighth and the uphill curving 12th stood out for me.

The Red course is arguably more scoreable than the Blue and has slightly more width from the tee but this is negligible in the grand scheme of thing. The design and set-up of both courses add to the appeal for an enjoyable day out as opposed to a demanding and mentally draining slog over 36 holes.

As I said earlier I much prefer the Red course but there’s no denying you have 36 holes of high quality heathland golf. However, if you could cherry pick the best 18 holes from across the property you would have a truly world-class course… but I’m inclined to think the way it is works just perfectly.

Two rounds of golf at The Berkshire is certainly one of the finer things in golf. It doesn’t quite match the sparkle of a day at Sunningdale but it’s not too far behind.

Read the review of The Berkshire (Blue) here.